A sentence is a group of words with a subject a verb and a complete thought A sentence may also be called an independent clause What is a sentence The boy balanced an apple on his head ID: 622605
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Slide1
FRAGMENTSSlide2
A sentence is a group of words with a subject
, a
verb, and a complete thought. A sentence may also be called an independent clause.
What is a sentence?
The
boy
balanced
an apple on his head.
boy = subject
balanced
=
verb
Complete thought?
Yes, the sentence can stand alone and make sense. Slide3
A Couple of Reminders . . .
The
subject
is always a noun or pronoun
1. A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea.2. A pronoun
takes the place of a noun.
The
verb
shows action or a state of being.1. Action verbs indicate movement or accomplishment in idea or deed. 2. Being verbs indicate existence.
George and Tammy ran all the way to class. They were right on time. nouns action verb pronoun being verb Slide4
A fragment is an incomplete sentence. It lacks a subject, a verb, and/or a complete thought.
What is a fragment?
No subject
. Example: Balancing an apple on his head.
No verb
. Example: The boy balancing an apple on his head.
No complete thought
: When the boy balanced an apple on his head. Slide5
Dependent clauses as fragments
-ing
and to
fragmentsPhrases as fragments
Added detail fragmentsMissing-subject and missing-verb fragments
Common Types of FragmentsSlide6
Attach the fragment to a complete sentence before or after it.
Add missing subjects or verbs.
Remove and/or change words to make the word group a complete thought.
Correcting FragmentsSlide7
Dependent Clauses as Fragments
Relative pronouns
relate a clause back
to a noun or pronoun in the sentence. The
most common relative pronouns are that,
which, and who.
Example
: Tommy made an appointment.
Which he did not intend to keep.Example: That new red sweater is mine. Which is lying on the floor.
Subordinating ConjunctionsRelative PronounsA dependent clause has a subject and a verb, but it is not a complete thought. Subordinating conjunctions indicate a relationship between an independent clause and a dependent clause. Example: After I learned the price of new cars. I decided to keep my old pickup.Example: My daughter refused to stop smoking. Unless I quit also.Slide8
Correcting Dependent Clause Fragments
Attach the dependent clause to the sentence before or after it.
Example: After I learned the price of new cars, I decided to keep my old pickup. (Comma needed)
Example: My daughter refused to stop smoking unless I quit also. (Comma not needed)
Place the relative clause as closely as possible to the noun to which it refers.
Example: The new red sweater, which is lying on the floor, is mine. Slide9
Other Ways to Correct Dependent Clauses
Another way of correcting a dependent clause fragment is simply to eliminate the dependent word by rewriting the sentence. Use this method sparingly because it can make your sentences choppy.
Fragment: After I learned the price of new cars. I decided to keep my old pickup.
Correction: I learned the price of new cars and decided to keep my old pickup.
Fragment: My daughter refused to stop smoking. Unless I quit also.
Correction: My daughter refused to stop smoking. She wanted me to quit also. Slide10
-Ing and To
Fragments
When an
–
ing words appears at or near the start of a word group, a fragment often occurs. Remember that –ing verbs can never be alone.
Example
: I spent almost two hours on the phone yesterday. Trying to find a garage to repair my car.
When
to appears at or near the start of a word group, a fragment often occurs. Example: I plan on working overtime. To get this job finished.Slide11
Correcting –ing Fragments
Attach the
–
ing
fragment to the sentence that comes before or after it. Fragment: I spent almost two hours on the phone yesterday. Trying to find a garage to repair my car.
Correction: I spent almost two hours on the phone yesterday, trying to find a garage to repair my car.
Add a subject and change the –
ing
verb part to the correct verb form.Fragment: Maggie was at first happy with the SUV she bought from a neighbor. Not realizing until a week later that the vehicle averaged just nine miles per gallon of gas. Correction: She did not realize until a week later that the vehicle averaged nine miles per gallon of gas.Change being to the correct form of the verb be (am, are, is, was, were)
Fragment: He looked forward to study period at school. It being the only time he could sit unbothered and dream about his future.Correction: It was the only time he could sit unbothered and dream about his future.Slide12
Correcting to Fragments
Correct
to fragments by connecting them to the sentence before or after the fragment.
Fragment: I plan on working overtime. To get this job finished.
Correction: I plan on working overtime to get this job finished.Slide13
Phrases as Fragments
Prepositional phrases
connect a noun or pronoun object to the rest of the sentence. They begin with words such as
in, on
, of, at, and with.Example: I want to go fishing. On the lake.
Appositive phrases
follow a noun or pronoun and rename it.
Example: He lived in the small town of Whitman. A busy industrial center near Boston.Slide14
Correcting Phrases as Fragments
Attach the phrase to the sentence before or after it.
Example: I want to go fishing on the lake.
Example: He lived in the small town of Whitman, a busy industrial center near Boston.Slide15
Added-Detail Fragments
Added-detail fragments lack a subject and a verb.
They often begin with one of the following words: also, especially, except, for example, including, such as.
Example
: I love to cook and eat Italian food. Especially spaghetti and lasagna.Example
: The class often starts late. For example, yesterday at 9:15 instead of 9:00.
Example
: He failed a number of courses before he earned his degree. Among them, English I and Biology.Slide16
Correcting Added-Detail Fragments
Attach the fragment to the sentence before it.
Example: I love to cook to cook and eat Italian food, especially spaghetti and lasagna.
Add a subject and a verb.
Example: The class often starts late. For example, yesterday it began at 9:15 instead of 9:00.Change the words to make the fragment part of the preceding sentence.
Example: Among the courses he failed before he earned his degree were English I and Biology.Slide17
Missing Subjects or Verbs
A missing subject fragment usually occurs when a compound verb is separated.
Example: Chris slammed the door. And stormed out into the hall.
A missing verb fragment is usually an –ing fragment or an accidental omission of the verb.
Example: Teresa fell on the stairs. Breaking her arm.Example: Many Major League baseball teams going to Florida for spring training.Slide18
Correcting Missing Subjects/Verbs
Attach the fragment to the preceding sentence.
Example: Chris slammed the door and stormed out into the hall.
Example: Teresa fell on the stairs, breaking her arm.
Add a subject or verb.
Example: Chris slammed the door. Then, he stormed out into the hall.
Example: Many Major League baseball teams go to Florida for spring training.
Use one of the –
ing fragment corrections.Example: Teresa fell on the stairs and broke her arm.Slide19
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